The Joads are a symbol of dislocated families suffering from the Great Depression in the 1029’s of the United States. The protagonist Tom Joad paroled from accidentally killing someone was to set to return home full of plans of new life. Tom’s experience in jail has validated his belief that good deeds would earn positive results. In this particular issue, he was paroled after four years serving sentence.

On the road he met former preacher Casy. Tom Joad was not necessarily a believer and Casy’s recent conviction does not affect him negatively. Tom’s introduction to the story pictured him hitchhiking for home. His character depicted a man sensitive to his surroundings, observant and acquiescent.

These are qualities of a man who has experienced life and accepted life in life’s term. In jail, Tom may have gone through a process of accepting things as they come and considered it part of living. His character showed a deep attachment to family, shown by his concern to bring a live land turtle for his two young siblings to play with. In his mind he would meet his family the way he left them when he was brought to prison.

It was not the way imagined it to be. Tom found the family farm his family tilled different. Their house is in shambles and he had no idea what happen to his family. His first thought when he found the gate unclosed was that his mother died. “…Ma’s dead.” “If Ma was anywheres about, that gate’d be shut an’ hooked.” ( Forsythe 43).

There is a sensitive sadness in his words and he feared truth to it. This kind of sensitivity is consistent to Tom’s character throughout the story. When he finally found and learned the sad flight of his family, Tom had remained calm and displayed an objective mind and attitude of their situation. Tom’s role in the family was established in this occasion.

He was regarded a hero of some sort being able to defend his honor as bravely and as manly as he did especially Al and his Granpa. Everyone in his family worshipped Tom although he did not take a spoiled attitude to this treatment his family gives him.

The family started their journey to California together. Fate decides for them and death comes to the family. Granpa goes first, then Granma, Noah, Tom Joad’s elder brother finally found his calling on the way and deserted them, Connie, Rose of Sharon’s husband cannot take anymore the burden of pursuing a career he imagined he could attain without the burden of family left them.

The responsibility of keeping the family together now fells on Tom. Granpa,s death and Noah’s desertion was a test of Tom’s balance of emotional attachment to family and objectivity. The concern of keeping the family together and getting them across to California prevails so that Tom has to exercise a level-headedness over emotional concern in his exercises as his father’s and mother’s confidante and source of reason.

Tom displayed a special bond with his mother. When Noah informed him that he decided to stay by the river, he tried to dissuade Noah by asking “How ‘bout the fam’ly? How’bout Ma?” (Forsythe, 229). The sadness of seeing his family slowly breaking up does not keep Tom from being the source of strength and inspiration for the family to get a better life in California.

He wanted to keep on holding to hope despite fears and apprehensions that somehow a new life awaits them at their destination. Aftr his Granpa’s death the older Joad become head of the family but it was Tom who kept his father stand his on his responsibility. He became his father’s leaning staff by showing strength and resilience during those trying times.

Life in California proves true of Tom’s fears and apprehensions. The family suffered so much from luck of work and the indignity they are subjected to. The children were forced to work with the older Joads to earn their meals and even so, nothing is enough. They were compelled to live in communal tents with other immigrants like them. Tom’s fears have drained his strength.

The Joads has to fight in order to eat, and the proud family, never taking anything without serving to pay its price struggled to be a decent as they can. How much more a man can take without driving him to a corner with nowhere to go except charge on and fight back? The final transformation of Tom as one who has had enough of ideals and fight not just for family but for all those that his family represented.

The final straw came at the murder of his friend Casy, the former preacher, who has much shared of Tom’s enlightenment. Tom”s transformation is not a sign of reckless surrender but of renewed hope to fight for right to dignified life. “…I’ll be all aroun’ in the dark. I’ll be ever’where-whenever you look. Wherever they’s a fight so people can eat….Whenever they’s a cop beatin’ up a guy. I’ll be there. An’ when our folks eat the stuff they raise an’ live in the houses they build-…I’ll be there”(Forsythe, 463).

This speech summarized Tom’s resolve not to stay in the corner trapped. He has to fight for the family and what it stands for. He cannot just stay with his folks and watch them waste away. He has to be the man of the house and stay on the streets so he can stage his fight so that his family can live and live in dignity.

Works Cited

John Steinbeck. The Grapes of Wrath. Penguin Classics: 2006

Author: Russell Ransom

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